Process of and apparatus for amalgamating ores



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. E. BALL.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING ORES.

No. 253,254. Patented Feb. 7,1882.

l VfTzVESSES. w [NVE/VTOR awflmww 67% A TTOR/VEY N. PETERS. Pnum-L'nhn hu. Washmglom n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

(lEeB ALL. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING ORES. No. 253,254. Patented Feb. 7.1882.

l ulnllllllllq ll.

"1111111, Illll N4 PETERS, Phnmumo m herl washin mm D. C.

Unwrap STATES PATENT @rrreno CHARLES E. BALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATIN G ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,254, dated February '7, 1882.

Application filed May 4, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. BALL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Appa ratus for Amalgamating Ores, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of an amalgamating apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail, and Fig. 4 a detail plan, of water-pipe.

The object of my invention is to amalgamate ores by the employment of vaporized mercury under exhaust.

A further object is to condense the vapors of mercury employed for amalgamation in a column or body of solid mercury.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for retarding or slowing the travel of the ore and finely-divided mercury upward throughthe body or column of solid mercury, and for subjecting the same to artificial pressure during such ascent.

A still further object of my invention is to regulate the discharge of the waste from the amalgamating-chamber, so as to prevent a too rapid circulation therein, and preavoid the accumulation of coarse particles of rock, 850., on the surface of the mercuryin such chamber.

My invention consists, first, in the novel means, hereinafter described, for the employment' of vaporized mercury (as distinguished from solid or from atomized mercury) for producing amalgamation of ores under exhaust; second, in connection with the amalgamation of ores by the employment of vaporized mercury, the novel means, hereinafter described, for the employment of a body or column of solid mercury for assisting in condensing previously uncondensed vapors of mercury, and for effecting the amalgamation of previously unamalgamated portions of ore; third, in the provision in the mercury column or body of a downwardly-traveling screw or spiral for retarding the upward movement of the ore-pulp and finely-divided mercury through the same, and for subjecting such body to artificial pressure or a squeezing action while the pulp and finely-divided mercury are ascending 5 fourth,

in the provision of discharge-pipes in the mercury-chamber, located away from the middle of the same, and constructed and adapted to have .a rotary motion while in operation; fifth, in

certain details of construction and combination, hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a furnace, within which is located a mercuryretort, B.

U is a cylinder communicating with the neck I) of the retort, and having at its opposite end an ejector, D.

E is a hopper connected with the cylinder 0, and designed for the feeding of ore-pulp to the latter. I

F is a tub or vat having a cover,f, through which the ejectorpipe (Z passes, and which may be provided with an inwardly-opening valve,f.

G is a mercury-chamber, havingits lower end open and located slightly above the bottom of the vat F, its upper end being closed, as shown. Through said upper end passes a dischargepipe, H, connected to a steam-ejector, I. Within said chamber is a vertical shaft, K carrying a screw or spiral blade-,k, and projecting through the bottom of the vat F, where it is provided with a gearwheel, k, or with an equivalent pulley.

L represents a water-pipe of the peculiar form and construction shown in plan in-Fig. 4, consisting of the ring l and radial branches Z l. a

M is a swivel-collar on the lower end of the discharge-pipe'H, having down wardly-project- I ing pipe-branches m m.

N N are arms attached to the upper end of the shaft K and bearing against the pipebranches m m, so as to cause the latter, with their collar-M, to rotate with said shaft.

0 is a force-pump connected with the bottom of the vat F and with the retort Bby pipes 0 and 0, respectively, so as to withdraw mercury or amalgam from said vat and feed it to said retort.

Pis a stirrer, consisting ofa collar, 19, fast on the shaft K, having radial arms pp with upwardly-projecting branches 19 192. i

The operation is as follows: Mercury is first placed in both the retort B and Vat F. A fire is next started under the retort, and when the mercury therein begins to pass off in vapor steam is admitted to both the ejectors D and I. At the same time ore-pulp is fed in through the hopper E. The ejector D draws the mercury vapor and ore-pulp through the cylinder 0, and discharges the amalgamated massinto the vat F, the vapor condensing wholly, or almost wholly, in saidpylinder, and amalgamating therein'with the ore. The ejector I elevates the mercury in the vat F into the chamber G, leaving a thin sheet spread upon the bottom of said vat. The discharge from the ejector D passes into said vat, and thence upwardly through the suspended mercury in the chamber G. The shaft K being at the same time rotated, the stirrer I prevents banking and distributes the ore, &c., so as to cause it to pass up all around the edge" of said chamber. The screw 7., rotating downwardly, retards the ascent of the ore, &c., through the suspended column of mercury, and also exerts a downward pressure or squeezing action on the same. Anyportion of ore not amalgamated in the cylinder 0 will be amalgamated in its ascent through the chamber Gr, and any uncondensed mercury vapor discharged from the ejector D will he condensed by the body of mercury suspended in said chamber. So, too, mercury in a finely-divided (but not vaporic) condition escaping from said ejector will, by the pressure of the suspended mercury column and by the squeezing action of the screw, be collected or consolidated with said column and thus prevented from passing 011' with the waste. The water flowing through or from pipe L dilutes the waste, which is kept constantly agitated and thrown outwardly toward the wall of the chamber G by the pipes at m. The suction exerted by the ejector I through said pipes draws 011' said waste, which is discharged onto a chute, Q. From time to time (or continuously, if desired) the amalgam and mercury, or a portion of the latter, are drawn by the pump 0 from the vat F and forced into the retort P, where the mercury is separated from the other metal or metals and vaporized anew.

In my patent of February 25, 1879, I have shown an invention in which amalgamationis produced by mercury in a solid condition under exhaust, and in subsequent applications for Letters Patent I have shown a pump for drawing oif amalgam, a retort for separating the mercury and other metals, with a condenser for the mercury 5 also, means, substantially as herein shown, for elevating the mercury in a chamber and diluting the waste. These, therefore, I do not herein claim 3 but Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The method or process herein described for collecting finely-divided mercury in amalgamating by drawing the same by suction or exhaust into a suspended body of liquid mercury andsubjecting the same to artificial press ure or squeezing, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a retort, B, acyliuder or mixing-chamber, (J, an ejector or suction device, D, and a hopper or ore-feeder located between the ejector and retort, whereby suction or exhaust is created in said cylinder or chamber, and ore and mercury vapors drawn into and mingled in the same, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with a mercury-chamber, G, and an ejector or exhaust device, I, for holding mercury suspended therein, ot a screw or spiral blade, 70, for exerting pressure or a squeezing action on such suspended mercury, substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with a central dischargepipe, H, the branch pipes at m, supported upon.

said discharge-pipe by means of a swiveled collar, M, substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with discharge-pipe H, having swivel-collar M, with branch pipes at m, the shaft K, with arms N N, substantially as shown and described.

6. The water-discharge pipe consisting of ring I, with radial arms I l,incombination with the inclosing amalgamating-chamber, substantially as shown and described.

7. An amalgamating apparatus comprising alower chamber orsection to receive the charge, an upper or vacuum chamber, a mercury-chamber connecting the two, and a screw arranged to rotate in the mercury-chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a lower chamber to receive the charge, an upper or vacuum chamber, a mercury-chamber connecting the two last'named chambers, a central vertical shaft which passes through the three chambers, a screw on said shaft and in the mercury-chamber, and agitators fixed on said shaftin the upper and lower chambers and 

